I guess maybe mom is just scared Carmen will rub off on me and I’ll be the next talk of the town.
“You know she loves you, right? She just wouldn’t understand Carmen’s ways. I don’t want her to clump you together with her. You know, guilty by association.” my dad says, breaking my thoughts. I guess he could see I was lost inside my head for a moment thinking about mom.
I give him a weak smile. “I know.”
“And I love you,” he adds.
“I know.” My smile grows bigger.
He kisses my forehead softly before lightly pushing me away, so I stand. “Go get some rest and make sure you put that dress at the bottom of your basket. It reeks of pot.”
I laugh off his comment as I leave the room and head back to the front of the house, up the stairs, and into my room.
About The Authors
S. Rena & BL Mute are two best friends who met online from opposite ends of the USA. Now they reside only an hour away from each other and have decided to write darker romance books together—lots of them.
Follow Rena & Mute to learn all about their cowriting adventures.
Right from the Start
A Steamy Enemies-to-Lovers Novella
By Kara Liane
Kara Liane
Right from the Start
Never mix pleasure with business…
Elodie Alcott hates Jamison Fox right from the start.
She thinks he’s a womanizer.
She thinks he’s crude and rude.
And she has no time for games.
Jamison takes immense pleasure in driving Elodie crazy.
He thinks she’s too uptight.
He thinks she’s married to her job.
And he’s playing a dangerous game by goading the boss’s daughter.
This enemies-to-lovers romance proves a person deserves redemption and not to be judged by his or her past. They both have secrets, and in the IT field, secrets always manage to get hacked.
Love is never easy, and neither are these two.
Right from the Start © 2021 Kara Liane
All Rights Reserved.
This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. This is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products that may be referenced in this work of fiction.
Cover design by Kara Liane. Cover image by Bill Reynolds of EBR Gold. Cover model Tori Mae.
Edited by Mountains Wanted Indie Author Services.
Created with Vellum
Prologue
January 2018
Elodie
“Will I have any input regarding who you’ll hire, Dad?” I stare at my father with a sharp eye, trying to discern from his features if I’ll be disappointed in his response before he voices it.
“You know I always respect your opinion, but there’s a guy I’m looking at hard because of his background. He has extensive knowledge in cybersecurity, having worked in Texas with his local sheriff’s department. You know how hardcore they are in Texas and the type of cowboy outfit they run. Of course, he’ll have to acclimate to our way of doing things by the book, but he’s highly intelligent and will catch on quick.”
Giving my dad a curt but respectful nod, I resign myself to the fact that he always does what he wants. He’s a great man and values my opinion, but at the end of the day, it’s his decision because it’s his company. Until one day this empire is mine, I must toe the line just like everyone else. We’re based in Florida right near the Panhandle, so drumming up business is never difficult, but I love going after contracts—it’s my forte.
“Okay, but you know if we get that contract with the military I’ve been pushing for, I would like to be lead on it. This guy may be knowledgeable in cybersecurity, but contracts are a different story. Grad school won’t get in the way, so please don’t sideline me for that reason. I’m ready for it. And no one will be more dedicated than me.”
He smiles my way. Pride swells in his blue eyes—eyes I happened to inherit from him. I mostly favor my mother, but I cherish this feature I inherited from Dad the most.
“I know, sweetheart. If we land the contract, I’ll give your request strong consideration for the lead position. This recruit seems well informed on all levels of this field, so I don’t foresee the contracts being an issue for him. Keep in mind, though, it’s always business and nothing personal, no matter what happens.”
Nodding, I gracefully stand up from the chair across from his office desk. Before I take my leave, I need him to realize one more thing of significance.
“Please don’t hire someone who doesn’t fit the bill. As redundant as it may seem, I’m going to reiterate it anyway. Since I’ll have to work closely with this person, he or she needs to be well-versed as to the ins and outs of our operations. We have to hire someone who can do it all and is easy to get along with. Because I won’t make it easy on them if they don’t know their job.”
My dad knows this already—I’m teetering on insulting his intelligence, but, for my own sanity, verbalizing this is important. Dad would never hire someone who’s not a good fit, so why am I so nervous and have this niggling sensation in the pit of my stomach?
He chuckles—not in a mocking fashion; it’s more of an affectionate manner. “I know. It’s why you’re a force to be reckoned with and why clients love you—because you give it your all.”
Internally I snigger at my subconscious, which reminds me, it’s because you’re a stone-cold bitch. Dismissing my inner bitch, I beam at my dad and start to walk out. At the last second, though, I pop my head back in to sniff out this final detail.
“So…,” I say casually while crossing my arms in front of my chest, feigning nonchalance. “This guy you’re looking hard at, what’s his name, so I can do my research on him?”
My dad’s hearty laugh once again fills my ears. Our HR department does a thorough background check on all potential recruits, yet I do my own research—you can never be too careful.
“Jamison Fox.”
1
Elodie
He’s despicable. This man drives me insane. He’s the worst employee we’ve ever hired. I don’t know what my boss—my dad—was thinking when he brought him on board at Alcott IT Inc.
Slapping the latest contract down on Jamison Fox’s oak desk, I glare at him with all the vehemence I can muster. “You didn’t even read the terms. Don’t act like you can handle this job. This is one of the biggest military contracts we’ve ever landed, and for some reason, my father wants you to oversee it.”